In the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot, Virat Kohli's dismissal for 23 runs off 29 balls was a talking point, sparking disappointment among fans at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. Despite the relatively low score, the innings underscores Kohli's unique standing in the world of cricket.
Kohli, entering the match as the world's No. 1 ranked ODI batter, looked composed at the crease before being clean bowled by New Zealand pacer Kristian Clarke. This early setback put pressure on the Indian batting lineup. While the dismissal was a disappointment for Kohli and his fans, it also highlighted a curious trend in his career: a tendency to avoid scores in the 20s.
Before the Rajkot match, Kohli had been in impressive form, scoring 93 off 91 balls in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara. This followed a series of strong performances, making his dismissal in Rajkot somewhat unexpected. In the Vadodara match, Kohli anchored India's chase of 301, forming partnerships with Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. Although he missed his century by seven runs, his contribution was crucial to India's four-wicket win. With this innings, Kohli extended his run of 50-plus scores in ODIs to five consecutive innings.
In the Rajkot match, after India were put in to bat, Kohli attempted to steady the innings with Shreyas Iyer, but New Zealand's tight bowling put them under pressure. Kohli began his innings with a boundary, raising hopes for another significant contribution, but his stay at the crease was cut short. Following Kohli's dismissal, KL Rahul stepped up, scoring a century and adding 73 runs with Jadeja and 57 off 49 balls with Nitish Kumar Reddy. However, his effort was not enough to secure a win for India, as New Zealand leveled the series.
Despite the loss and his relatively low score, Kohli's achievements and consistent performance cement his place among cricket's elite. In the first ODI, he reached another milestone, surpassing Sri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket across all formats, only behind Sachin Tendulkar.
